


Trouble sleeping

by CyrilLeonhearts



Category: LiEat (Video Games)
Genre: Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-04
Updated: 2015-08-04
Packaged: 2018-04-12 21:51:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4496037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyrilLeonhearts/pseuds/CyrilLeonhearts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Efina has trouble sleeping after the events at Gold City</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trouble sleeping

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote and posted this on tumblr like a year ago, but I got an account and decided to crosspost.

                Teo was not a light sleeper. One would think in his kind of business he would be, but he was not. Slamming doors did nothing to wake him, and neither did the sound of a screaming dragon child. What did wake him up were light and the feeling of someone staring at him. In the beginning, someone crawling into his bed did as well, but that rarely happened anymore. Feelings as if someone was staring at him or someone in the room that wasn’t supposed to be awoke Teo with a small sense of dread and loads of worry in his heart.

                Bleary eyed Teo awoke with that feeling. He shifted in the scratchy motel sheets and turned to face the other bed. Something wasn’t right. Sitting up, Teo rubbed at his eyes and looked to the plastic clock on the nearby table. _Three in the morning… sleepy,_ Teo looked around the room for any abnormalities, one hand reaching under the pillow for a hidden knife. The fan above whirled quietly, but didn’t obscure the noises. Small sniffles, that’s what he was hearing. That’s what was wrong.

                Teo pushed aside the thin, scratchy bed sheets and slid out of bed. _Efi?_ He padded across the room to where the younger dragon should be sleeping. Curled among the blankets and hidden by a curtain of blonde hair she shivered. The pillow and comforters were balled in her tiny fists as if she let them go they would disappear. Tears were dripping down her face staining her red cheeks. “Efi,” Teo’s voice was horse as he shook her.

                A nightmare. She was having a nightmare. Fear welled up in Teo’s heart making his mouth run dry and throat clench. She never had nightmares before. Had she? He shook her harder, hand gripping her shoulder as he tried to wake her up. “Efi!” His voice was louder now nearly shouting her name. She woke with a start; violet eyes snapping open.

                “Teo?” The man relaxed pulling slightly back. His hand left her shoulder and dropped back to his side. Efi gave a sniffle and rubbed at her eyes. “Is it morning already?” _Technically,_ he didn’t voice the thought.

                “You were having a nightmare.” Being blunt and telling the truth would be the best route. He had promised her he would tell her the truth, no more lies. She gave another sniffle and looked down to her lap. Tiny hands clenched tighter at the blankets, tiny knuckles turning white.

                “Sorry… did I wake you?” she wiped at her tears. Teo was taken back. His mouth opened but no sound came out. Shutting his mouth Teo looked away. _Efi…_ Sitting on the bed, the mattress sank with a creaking that filled the room. Efi blinked in surprise pulling her legs closer. Running a hand through his hair Teo gave a sigh. _How should I word this,_ he laid his hands in his lap and opened his mouth. It’s been barely a week since the Gold City incident so the nightmare had to be about _that_.

                “Efi, was it about me being swallowed by lies.” Blunt again. Efi squirmed in the bed, hands clenching and unclenching the sheets. The fan whirring above was all that could be heard. Teo waited for Efi to reply, waited and waited. After what seemed like forever Efi gave a small ‘yea’ and curled more into a ball. This was unlike the young dragon. She was usually cheerful and able to brush anything off. After the events in Azure town and Vermillion town she had cheerfully moved on from what had happened and became stronger. From time to time she would ask about them showing that she hadn’t forgotten about them, but she had never had nightmares about them.

                “What happened in the… nightmare?” Teo turned more to face Efi and placed a hand near her figure. Efi buried her head in her knees, the blanket and appendages swallowing her voice. “Efi I can’t hear you when you speak into the blankets.” Teo moved his hand to stroke the young girls head. He remembered having nightmares when he was a kid wishing someone would comfort him. Efi lifted her head and sniffled. She was on the verge of tears again.

                “Teo.” Her voice was tiny, frail in the silence of the room. “I could-couldn’t save you.” Teo nodded waiting for her to elaborate. Blonde hair spilled from behind her sharp ears obscuring her face. “I couldn’t eat the lies, and everyone died because of it. And you, we keep walking around Gold city.” She took a shuddering breath stopping the words from coming out. She sniffled some more and furiously wiped at her tears. “And everything was swallowed by lies. More than I could ever eat and we just kept walking!” Efi’s body was shaking at this point. Her hands were scrubbing harder and harder at her eyes. Her breath would hitch and then shudder repeatedly. 

                ‘ _What should I... do?’_ Walking forever in Gold city, the city swallowed in _his_ lies. He had been having dreams about it as well, but nothing like that. Moving his hand from her head, Teo pushed back the curtain of hair that covered her face. Gently he pulled away her hands next letting them drop to her lap.

                “Efi its okay, you saved me. You ate all my lies.” Teo looked into her eyes bringing a hand to gently wipe the tears away. “You were strong enough – am strong enough to eat my lies.” She gave a small nod and unfurled her legs.

                “I know, but it’s still scary.” Small tears still welled in her eyes giving her a glassy stare. Teo didn’t know what to say; he was blanking on words of comfort. Letting his hands drop down to his lap the man held back a sigh. Instead he closed his eyes and let his head drop. For once the liar couldn’t think of anything to say. No truths. No lies. Nothing. Efi fidgeted beside him, her fingers pulled at the blanket bringing it up to wipe her tears. It was difficult with Teo sitting on it, but she managed. “Teo…” The young dragon let the blanket go and sniffled loudly. Looking up Teo gave a slight nod. “You aren’t going to become swallowed by your lies again, right?”

                “No, I won’t.” The answer was quick. “You can eat all my lies now, right?” Casting a glance to the clock Teo gave a sigh; it was nearing four now. Efi gave a small yeah, but did not look convinced. Pausing to collect his thoughts Teo racked his brain for something. “Remember our time at the resort?”

                “The one where Will and the other live?”

                “That’s the one. Remember when you asked if people can protect each other?” She gave a small nod not quite understanding where this was going. Teo continued on anyways. “That’s how it is. We’re going to – _am_ protecting each other.” Teo stood from the bed stretching his aching legs. Efi cocked her head to the side and gave a small _hmm_ , then her face brightened and she gave an energetic nod.

                “I see! I eat Teo’s lies and Teo protects me from bad people!”  That was basically it, yep. Running a hand absently over his pants Teo turned back to Efi. His heart was at ease now that she was acting more like her regular self. Seeing her sad or scared, no he didn’t like that at all.

                “Efi, if you’re ever having nightmares or anything like that… you can come to me.” Teo confided. He looked away and closed his eyes. This should have been common knowledge for her, but he supposed not. She gave an ok and the ruffling of sheets made him look back to her. Efi clambered down the side of the tall bed and rushed towards him. Teo barely had time to turn before the young dragon was catapulting into his side. The force caused him to take a step back to not fall over.

                “Thanks Teo.” Her words were muffled by the fabric of his pants. Tussling her hair gently Teo smiled softly.

                “Its late… go to sleep.”

                “Can I sleep in your bed? I don’t want another nightmare.” Teo paused.

                “Yeah, just don’t blow any fire.”


End file.
